The Coming of Balor
by Jet556
Summary: Tens years after Mumm-Ra's final defeat, Gard is invited to a feast by Lion-O. Bringing Balor and a few others along, they find the feast happening on Sigruplaw Night: the Third Earth equivalent of Halloween Night. When Indra and Grune appear to zombify all present, it falls to Balor and Brigid to put their plan to an end without the death of Evabon or Thunderan.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome back everyone. I haven't that much to say but this is to get to the stuff that was hinted at in my previous stories: the great things that are to come for Balor and Brigid. Enjoy and review.**

**Away from Civil War **

Ten years had passed since Thundera's fall. It had since been rebuilt but alas it was a shadow of its former self.

Balor, now a boy of eighteen looked at the city from a room in the Thunderan palace. Even Wilusa, being built upon ruins of its past selves, looked better than Thundera did at the moment.

Having been invited to a feast, Gard brought Balor along with others such as Zuvowang and Brigid. While others were interested in seeing their friends, Balor was troubled. His thoughts were not of things here in Thundera. His thoughts were of Alaksandu's growing hatred of him. Even when they had been children, Alaksandu had thrown an arrow at Balor, which ended up in Balor's right heel.

Balor still didn't have a lot of muscle. He had remained one who used his wits to get something done. He still had his scars, the ones on his back the lightning bolt on his right arm… He still had them.

A red breastplate and kilt was what he wore. The breastplate was for defensive purposes, it wasn't heavy but it wasn't light either and as far as weapons went Balor only had a dagger if he had to defend himself. He didn't like using the shamanistic arts for fighting. It didn't feel respectful and he found it to be an unfair advantage.

Balor didn't even like to fight, he only fought to defend himself after all. He really did prefer to use his wits to solve problems not muscle since he didn't have that much of it.

Walking through the banquet hall, Gard sat down in a chair and put a hand on his head. He couldn't even get Balor out of that blasted guest room! He was just sitting up there looking out a window!

"I was never like that at eighteen." He muttered.

Then Brigid and Kit came walking by. Talking like the old friend they were, the girls continued their conversation about Balor and Brigid's arranged marriage.

"We should have been married two years ago but things have been so hectic for all of Evabondom for the past couple of years because of this conflict!" Brigid was, of course, talking about the war between the cousins Ekoto, Chieftain of Evabon, and the traitorous Alaksandu. For two years now, the two had been fighting bringing all of the Evabon clans into the conflict and Wilusa had been rendered a city divided.

"You'd think someone would have but an axe in his skull or shoot him by now!" Kit was, needless to say annoyed by Alaksandu trying to take the throne of Wilusa by force and his unsuccessful attempts to seduce Brigid with a fruit. The last time the ThunderCats had last visited Wilusa, Kit was shocked to find Alaksandu doing nothing else but attempt to seduce Brigid.

"Oh, if only." Brigid's comment held the same amount of dislike that the rest of Third Earth held for Alaksandu. Since Mumm-Ra's final defeat the Evabon had become respected by all of Third Earth for their part in the final battle. However, in the past five years Alaksandu had become even less respected than the Evabon had been prior to the final battle against Mumm-Ra.

Gard stood up. A boulder to the head, thrown by Alaksandu, had obviously not killed him but the headaches were a problem. That had been a week ago. Llud had taken over leading the Gardites while Gard recovered from his head injury. He had returned to the wilderness where Balor was training and that was where Lion-O had found Gard.

A nice little holiday… If only! Three days Gard had been in Thundera and his head was in as much pain as the day that boulder hit him! And the headaches! It was made even worse by the yelling from Tygra and Cheetara's two boys! Granted children were loud but Tygra and Cheetra had told those two to be quiet when around Gard but still they were loud.

And then there was Zuvowang's singing! He was so loud and his singing was nonsensical words that were more like humming given spoken form!

Thankfully, Brigid and Kit were speaking quietly. Neither excited children nor the naturally loud Zuvowang were around so it was just the two girls speaking in hushed tones. Those two being considerate and thank goodness for that.

"Think I'll go pray to Kruakh to quicken the healing of this head inuury." And with that Gard departed from the banquet hall. As quiet as the girls were, his head still hurt.

Zuvowang was quite popular with the populace of any settlement be it city, town or village. He was quite fun to be around and would often tell stories or sing when he did something. He was most popular among children who found him to be a most enjoyable person to be around.

"Now, boys, as I was saying! Balor is the reincarnation of his namesake!" Zuvowang laughed as he held up the discus he had brought with him to Thundera. Tygra and Cheetara's sons watched as he prepared to throw it. "The original Balor was a son of Wodanaz, the first Evabon shaman, and our Balor is the grandson of Wodanaz. Now to make things even stranger, our Balor is the reincarnation of another son of Wodanaz that came after his namesake as well as that son's son making Balor the reincarnation of two sons of Wodanaz and the reincarnation of another grandson of Wodanaz. The reincarnation of three deceased descendants of the first shaman, isn't that strange?" Again he laughed. "But you are wondering how did Snagg, the maternal grandfather of the original Balor die?" Zuvowang prepared to throw the discus. His target was a statue that was some fifty feet away. "Well, while searching for his grandfather to make peace so Snagg would no longer think him a threat as he had come to think all of his grandsons were, Balor came upon some funeral games and asked if he could compete. He took part in a discus throwing competition." Zuvowang threw his discus. "He threw his discus and it sought out one specific person in the audience and killed him." The discus hit the statue, toppling it over. "And that, boys, was how Snagg died."


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back everyone. I haven't done this in a while but I mentally cast Paul Telfer as the voice of adult Balor and Leelee Sobieski as adult Brigid. Enjoy and review. **

**Masks**

Balor held a mask in his hand. Tonight was Sigruplaw Night, when enchantresses and meet on mountains to hold revels with demons! It was this night, that people wore masks so they might seem like one of the enchantresses or demons. It was hard to believe something like this was celebrated!

The mask Balor held seemed like a komrev's face almost. In fact it bore a startling resemblance to that of Crinan who had been dead for the past eight years. Crinan had killed Gruadh, would have killed others, had nearly killed Balor… Balor had killed Crinan in self-defense.

"That is quite the mask you've got!" Balor looked at Kat standing in his doorway. They had become good friends in ten years, just as Kit had become good friends with Brigid. Kat was holding a mask in his right hand. Balor couldn't get a good look at it because the face of it was facing Kat's leg.

"What's yours look like?"

Kat held up the mask. Frighteningly, it bore an exact resemblance to the face of the late Mumm-Ra. "Want to trade?"

Balor looked at his own mask and then looked at Kat's. "I think I'll stick with the one I've got."

()

Gard knelt in his guest room praying. In his centuries of life he had never prayed before and now he was praying to Kruakh, the Storm Spirit.

Kruach was the Chieftain of the Spirits. It was he who created the wind, lightning and thunder! It was he who ruled the sky! It was he who brought law, order and justice into the world! Kruach was the greatest of the spirits.

As he kneeled in prayer, Gard thought of what he was praying for. He was praying for the pain to be taken away. Either the pain would be taken away via healing or by his dying.

Opening his eyes, Gard's good eye looked around. Was he doing the right thing by praying for the pain in his head to be taken away? It could have gone one of two ways: life or death.

()

Indra and Grune both looked at Thundera. In the ten years, Grune had poisoned Indra's mind. Indra had become vulnerable to Grune's suggestions because of the revelation that one of his grandchildren was a grey-skin. He was confused and Grune's ambition had caused the saber-tooth to put thoughts in the witch doctor's mind.

"They will all be there: the ThunderCats, the grandson of Wodanaz, the Lizards, everyone! All for us to turn into zombies! Extend our power! Show them that we are a force to be reckoned with!"

Indra nodded. "Yes…" He was still as confused as he had been ten years ago. His grey-skinned granddaughter was friends with the grandson of Wodanaz… How was it possible? Ten years, later and he still couldn't understand it.

"We will control one of the greatest nations on Third Earth!"

"Yes…"

"And if you want we can use our zombie army to aid Alaksandu!"

"Yes…"

Grune smiled as he looked at Indra. He had sloppily painted his white body black with the blood of his own kind, today. One could still see spots of white on Indra's body. The skull that had been turned into a mask wasn't even on Indra's head. He was so confused that he barely even there. This made him perfect for Grune to manipulate.

()

Pwyll's ambition to have Balor be Chieftain of Evabon had not decreased in any way. His determination to get Balor on the throne caused him to turn to various leaders of other races. Today, he was trying to convince Lion-O to aid Ekoto in his fight against Alaksandu.

"If Alaksandu wins the civil war, whose to say he won't turn his gaze to other places. He might march on Thundera." Pwyll watched as Lion-O rested his right leg on his left knee. "If you don't act now your people could be under threat!"

"If we get involved it won't be a civil war anymore, other nations will be taking sides and I don't want ten years of peace to end just like that!" Lion-O was unfortunately a better politician than Pwyll could ever hope to be. War was something he tried to avoid every time. Lion-O stood up and walked over to Pwyll. "But please, stay for the celebrations!"

Pwyll shook his head. It was foolish to hold celebrations on Sigruplaw Night! Anyone with knowledge of what happened on this night knew that! Revelries held on this night were doomed to tragedy!

Taking the mask in Lion-O's hands, Pwyll looked at it. How it looked like the late Slithe! With less than a thought, Pwyll broke it. He then tossed the pieces aside and walked away.

As he left the throne room, which was smaller than it had been in Claudus' reign, Pwyll saw Cheetara appear from the corner of his left eye. He looked at her for a moment, Tygra coming into view soon after her.

They both stared at him. There was no trust in their eyes. Why should there have been? They already suspected his ambitions to make Balor Chieftain of Evabon, a position Balor didn't want.

"Should have held onto your ambition, Tygra. Would have made you better company!" And with that Pwyll left the palace. Evabon cities were more to his liking. Half-ruined cities with much vegetation! No one would even suspect him in a city like that with his ambitions!

()

As he preferred, Zuvowang wanted to celebrate not amongst those at the feast but with the citizens. Taking a sip of wine, Zuvowang held it up his cup and looked at all those around him.

"It is good wine!" He took another sip. Zuvowang liked good wine but not to the point of being an alcoholic. "Now where is everybody? Does the great shaman Balor not want any of this delicious stuff? Where is Brigid? Where are the ThunderCats, the heroes of Third Earth?"

"One of us is here, you old wrestler!" Panthro came running threw the crowd. At fifty-seven he was still as big as he had been ten years ago. He wasn't going to let age slow him down! Panthro held out his left robotic hand. Sure enough, Zuvowang grasped it with his left hand made off granite. "I still don't know how you only lost your one hand!"

"Well, Donalbain was only fast enough to get one!"

The two both laughed. Panthro took up a cup of wine and held it up. "May Alaksandu meet the same end as him!"

"Aye, and may Kruakh bless this rebuilt Thundera!"

()

Coming down from his room, Balor saw Kit talking to Brigid. They were talking about Alaksandu. Neither of them had any respect for him, and only a bit for Ekoto.

"Talking about someone I know?" Balor obviously did. He hadn't been involved in the civil war, no fighting from him.

"Oh, of course not just an annoyance." Commented Brigid. It was true. To many races, Alaksandu was viewed as something of an annoyance.

"But really what do we have to choose from? One is a bloody beast that fights for his people the other is a traitorous coward who fights for himself! In a case like this it is a lesser of two evils we have to choose." The lesser of two evils was Ekoto. A good person but a flawed one! "And being a pacifist I have no intention of getting involved in the fighting."

"And since this is a civil war we're talking about, Thundera can't don anything." Commented Kat.

"Nor any other nation." Added Kit.

War was a gloomy subject. There must have been something better they could discuss. It was at this point the Thunderan fool Feste and his Evabon counterpart Toukhstone appeared on the scene.

"What's this, Toukhstone?"

"People discussing war, Feste!"

"A gloomy subject, Toukhstone!"

"Oh, yes indeed, Feste!"

Feste took a ball from his pocket and threw it to Toukhstone. Toukhstone took the ball and threw it to Balor. Catching it, Balor was surprised to see the ball turn into a flower. Feste then walked to Kat and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I say, my friend, there seems to be something in your ear!"

"What?"

Feste then pulled a coin from behind Kat's ear. "That is what you get for not washing behind your ears! Toukhstone, why don't you see what you can get out of his sister's ears!" Toukhstone took a bound and was soon next to Kit. The Evabon fool's eyes widened when he couldn't find her ears. "They are tied up, Toukhstone!" Toukhstone attempted to untie Kit's ears but only found his finger tied. "You sure do live up to your job as a fool, Toukhstone!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back everyone. This was supposed to be longer but I've been trying to over the fact that my mom's been let go because of downsizing. Enjoy and review.**

**Pwyll's Planning**

King of Thundera, Chieftain of Evabon, Prefect of Avista, they were all the same thing. All Pwyll had to do was ensure the deaths of both Ekoto and Alaksandu and make sure everyone supported Balor as the new Chieftain of Evabon.

Walking amongst the field of fallen statues, Pwyll planned for the future. Brigid was not to his liking. Someone better was needed to give Pwyll grandchildren. He'd have to ensure her death too.

"Pwyll! Pwyll the Fool!" A voice! Pwyll looked around. Where was it coming from?

"Who speaks to me? Show yourself!"

"Fool! Fool! Fool! There is danger coming to Thundera! Would you sacrifice the boy who would be Chieftain?"

"What danger? Tell me! Who are you?"

"When has the past ever given the present an answer?" And with that the voice ceased.

Looking at the fallen statues, Pwyll's eyes noticed how regal the figures looked. What was this? Past leaders looking after one who might become a leader? This was so strange to him. Things like this came easily to Lion-O and Balor but Pwyll was like Claudus. He was hardly the spiritual type and did not understand things such as this.

Sitting next to a fallen statue, Pwyll looked up at the sky.

"Father, you have come to Balor who was named for your first son when he needed your guidance. He is your grandson and you've come to him, yet as I am your son you have never come to me when I needed guidance… I only know that you have come to two of your sons when they needed guidance and now two of your grandsons… Why have you never come to me? Am I not your son? Are my other sons not your grandsons?" There was no answer. Wodanaz did not appear. Was Pwyll forsaken even by his father?


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**The Belfry of the Elephant **

Feeling unsure of himself, Balor walked to the belfry where Anet the Elephant leader was staying. Just something about the coming night! It seemed oppressive, like thunder.

As the towering giant left the belfry, he waved at the approaching Balor. "Ah hello, Bellerophon."

"Balor."

"Valor? Thinking about valor are we?"

"No, my name is Balor."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is."

"What is?"

"My name."

"What is your name?"

"Balor!"

"Ah, yes. Balor, how are you? I had a vision about you just now. It was terrible!"

Being an Evabon, Balor didn't believe in predictions of the future. "What is it?"

"Your death." Stated a surprised Anet. "Are you not concerned?"

"Lion-O told me about a prediction of yours that didn't turn out as expected and besides I don't believe in predictions."

"Why?"

"Because I'm an Evabon." Balor was certain there was no way Anet could forget something like that.

And he'd be wrong. "You are?"

Naturally, Balor was surprised. How could Anet forget that? He must have been joking! "Yes, I am!"

"You are what?"

"An Evabon!"

"I can see that you are an Evabon, why do you tell me this?"

Balor raised his right eyebrow as high as it would go. How did the ThunderCats not go mad at the Elephant Village ten years ago? How did the dogs and berbils not go mad when they met the elephants? Anet was driving Balor crazy!


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

**The Villains Strike**

Cloaked, Indra and Grune watched the banquet. The coma toxin was in the drinks. After that the zombie toxin would be given to them.

People had taken sips. They would be unconscious any moment now. But there were two empty seats. Grune's eyes looked at those two seats. Who could possibly be missing?

Indra's eyes however only looked at the people who were there. He was barely even there. The shock of his granddaughter being a grey skin had left him a shell, a puppet… and Grune was holding the strings!

Finally, people started to succumb to the coma toxin. When all was done, no one was conscious.

While Indra simply stood motionless, looking at the unconscious people in the banquet hall Grune walked over to the empty seats.

"What is this? He asked. "Who isn't here?" Indra didn't reply. He just stood there.

"Us, apparently." Grune looked up and saw two grey-skinned Evabon. A boy and a girl, both approaching adulthood.

"And you are?" asked Grune.

"Balor and Brigid respectively." Replied the boy. Balor had come from meet Anet who had told him that he'd meet his death this night. Unlike Anet's other visions, this one was extremely detailed. An arrow to the right heel, a knife and a spear to the chest… All from a villain that had returned from the Astral Plane… That was what Anet had told Balor. Balor had then gone to Brigid and talked about Anet's vision. Despite coming from an Evabon village that had been converted to the Thunderan belief system, Brigid was still an Evabon and thus did not believe in visions, prophecies or such things. The amount of detail that Anet had given Balor had them troubled. "And you two… Indra?"

Brigid's eyes looked at her grandfather. "Grandfather?" She walked over towards Indra and placed her hands on the sides of his face. When he didn't respond in anyway she turned to look at Grune. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing that I wont do to either of you!" Grune discarded his cloak and held aloft a mace. It seemed like every time he got a new mace it looked more evil than the previous one.

Balor drew his dagger, his eyes quickly darting. If he was to use shamanistic magic to bring forth the earth's power he'd destroy the place and injure or possibly even kill them all! Water? The drinks could work! Fire? There was torchlight! Wind? Always!

Grune charged only for Balor to side step him, causing the former general to run face first into a column.

"Who are you anyway?" asked Balor.

"Grune." Replied the obvious. Balor's eyes widened. So this was Grune, he had heard of him for years but this was the first time they actually met. This was the villain that had returned from the astral plane Anet said would kill him! But he saw no bow and arrows or even any spears with him… but Balor did have a dagger! Quickly sheathing his dagger, Balor backed away as Grune stood up.

Time for some quick thinking! "How embarrassing! From everything I heard about you I thought you'd be… Oh, I don't know… Competent?" That did it! Enraged Grune charged again only to trip over a dropped goblet. "Oh, too bad." As Grune regained his footing, slipping in the spilt wine, Balor turned to Brigid. "See if you can get some information from your grandfather, I'll distract Grune!"

Brigid nodded in agreement. "Just be careful!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review. **

**No Celestial Aid This Time**

To say that what was happening in Thundera was being watched by those of the Astral Plane would be an understatement. Even now Wodanaz and Procyon watched, with Jaga by their side.

They saw full well what was going on. An entire mass of people put in a coma by ways of a toxin created by Indra who was little more than a puppet to Grune's will. And now Balor and Grune faced one another.

"Grune will kill Balor if we don't help him!" said Procyon. His eyes looked at the scene below. Too many times he had favored Balor. If he were to do so one more time then he'd lose his place as Guardian of the Bridge. No longer would he be able to see everything on Third Earth. He'd only be able to see where his kin were. Still he'd be able to protect them but he'd never know if anyone plotted against his kin.

"Agreed." Wodanaz looked down at his grandson. He came and went as he pleased. Celestial he might have been but he had his own home on the Astral Plane. A majestic, enormous hall located on a floating island! On Third Earth still he wandered when he went there. He chose to speak with people rather than watching and aiding them whenever the he felt like it, such was how other Celestials acted. As much as Wodanaz enjoyed paradise be it on the Floating Mountain or in his hall, he preferred being amongst people. As a Celestial, he could take any form he wanted. Procyon never did so because he had only ever descended to the Mortal Plane to aid his kin and Wodanaz did no such thing either. He took the forms he had in life: the wanderer, the warrior, the tolac… As a Shaman he had known his abilities and now as a Celestial his abilities were greater yet still he preferred his abilities when he had been a mortal shaman. In a way Wodanaz and Procyon could be considered humble.

"No." Jaga brought his staff down on the rainbow bridge. "Balor is not a child anymore. We must have faith in his abilities! He killed Sotark, faced the raging Crinan! When he was a child he survived things that would have killed other children!"

Procyon and Wodanaz did not respond. They merely bowed their heads and began to think. Finally, they finished thinking.

"Should Balor be struck only then should I aid him." Promised Procyon.

But Wodanaz did not say anything. He merely planned should he have to do anything. And then an idea came to his head. "I'm going to talk to an old friend." And with that he vanished and did not appear anywhere in Third Earth but instead in the mind of one who was in a fog.


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back everyone. Sorry about the short length. Enjoy and review.**

**Grune's Exit**

Grune had chased Balor to the roof of the palace. Still swinging at him with a mace, Grune was losing his patience. Although he had not tripped or run into anything, Grune had begun to grow exhausted. Balor hadn't even tried to attack with his dagger and that alone was starting to infuriate Grune, who although had been known to kill for sport did at least enjoy a challenge.

"Fight back!" growled Grune, his fury showing even in his eyes.

Balor didn't reply. He just kept avoiding the mace.

Coming to the edge of the roof, Balor stopped and looked down. There was a long drop! Some fifty feet!

Grune charged! Balor jumped! And soon enough Grune was dead. He had fallen fifty feet. No one could survive that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome back everyone. This is the final chapter of this story. Next week I will take a break before the next Balor story with "Gard's Greatest Deed." Enjoy and review.**

**Coming into Respect of His Own**

When Balor had come back down to the banquet hall, the sun had begun to rise. To the surprise of Anet, he saw Balor still living. This vision he had not forgotten. There were some things he could remember others not so well.

"You still live!" the elephant exclaimed in shock. "But my vision…"

"First time for everything." Was Balor's response! A vision could only come true if the one it involved believed in it. Lion-O had believed in a vision about him but had interpreted it the wrong way. Balor, being an Evabon, did not believe in predestination but free will. To them fate did not exist as they knew it was just an illusion.

Indra had since returned to his senses. Half of that had been thanks to Brigid bringing her grandfather's love to the surface. The other half had been Wodanaz appearing to Indra in his mind and reigniting the flame of their long extinguished friendship.

Friends had become enemies and were friends once more.

"Where is Grune? Indra looked around. Sitting upon a chair he looked at the comatose form of Lion-O.

"He is dead…" stated Balor.

"Dead?" Brigid gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. "You don't mean you had to…"

"No." Balor shook his head. "I jumped, he didn't stop."

Indra nodded. Brigid ran to her fiancé and hugged him. As for Balor he gave Brigid a kiss.

"Balor…" Balor looked at Indra. "You are a pacifist and you stuck to your beliefs. That is something to be respected… Anyone else would have taken Grune's life, you merely avoided him and let his own foolishness take him!" Looking to the comatose Lion-O, Indra stood up and raised a hand. "Give them an hour! They will all revive then. They will not be zombies for they did not receive the second half of the toxin."

**THE END**


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